


Refracting

by Pennatus



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: (I mean nice people), (Shiro has the paladins), (the Paladins), (this is just polyshipping fluff), Day 5, Fluff, Multi, VoltronPolyWeek, and Shiro realizes he already has nice things, everyone just wants Shiro to have nice things, if you know what i mean, non-binary Pidge, the collecting of shiny things, they/them pronouns for Pidge, wink wink
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-08
Updated: 2016-12-07
Packaged: 2018-09-07 06:05:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8786467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pennatus/pseuds/Pennatus
Summary: Shiro learns that that the secret behind happiness isn't things, but people.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Voltron Polyshipping Week: Day 5 | Partners | Space

Shiro's room wasn't filled with personal effects.

He didn't see how it could be, since they had left Earth with nothing, and now spent much of their time training or dodging from galaxy to galaxy in an effort to free the local populace. Where did they find time to gather objects, to grow attached to them?

In reality, the answer was easy. People make the best of the situation, and they were no exception. They done enough to begin collecting items, to begin transitioning from the fear and uncertainty of simply surviving to the more confident state of living. Thriving, even. Anything done enough times could become commonplace, and though their battles as Voltron were never ordinary, it was still possible to sink into a certain lifestyle out of that.

It was why Hunk's room was filled with plants and herbs and spices he'd found on his travels. He collected them in little jars and containers gifted to him by the people of the planets they'd saved, each of them carved or painted with delicate care. He arranged them on his shelves by size and color, creating an undulating rainbow that ran around the perimeter of his room. The containers were rarely sealed and the smell in his room was a grounding, earthy scent that always strangely reminded Shiro of nutmeg.

It was why Lance's room was filled with cloths of every weave and kind. Flags for civilizations unknown hung on his walls. Scarves and blankets looped over every available surface, turning the interior lights into a soft haze of color and atmosphere. Coats and ponchos hung in his closet or were thrown over his bed, rarely worn but treasured nonetheless. Bolts of fabric sat propped in corners and unwinding across the floor, making a maze of shifting fabric to travel across.

It was why Pidge's room was filled with junk and old technology that was piled in haphazard organizations only they understood. The chips and wires and circuits were unknown and sometimes unusable, and still they sat in their piles, gleaming in the dim lighting of their room they preferred. Tiny models, some moving, others collecting dust, were spaced between and on top of the piles, often displaying simple properties of science and physics from planets visited.

It was why Keith's room was filled with hundreds if not thousands of crystal formations, rare minerals, rocks, anything and everything that caught his eye. Arranged by location rather than color or size, the rocks were organized neatly on shelves and tables, a vibrant testament to all the places they'd seen and visited. Each collection sparked memories, good and bad, of every adventure they'd been on, each moment their fought together, each time they won what seemed to be an impossible fight.

Shiro lifted his head from his thoughts, looking around. His room, in comparison, was empty. No personality. It wasn't like he hadn't had opportunity.

...why hadn't he thought to put anything up? Was he simply too busy? Or was it some other reason...

Shiro flopped over onto his bed, turning his back to the room.

\--

"What about this one Shiro?" Lance asked excitedly, shoving the colorful jewel into the paladin's face.

Shiro blinked, bemused. "Yes, it's...nice, Lance."

Lance looked a bit put out. "Nice? Not super amazing mega awesome?"

Shiro chuckled. "To some it is, I suppose."

Lance just pouted at him for that, which had Shiro cocking his head in confusion. "Why do you want my opinion on this anyways? You usually have no hesitation snatching up the things you want from the traders."

The blue paladin found a sudden fascination with the ceiling. "Oh nothing haha!" He was suddenly yanked away by Pidge, who hissed, "Real subtle, idiot!"

"I was trying," was the last thing that could be heard before he was dragged away, Shiro staring in bemusement.

\--

"Did you ever have a favorite food back on Earth?" This question came from Hunk, and also out of nowhere.

Figuring it had something to do with the menu Hunk was always devising, Shiro shrugged. "Not really. I'm not a picky eater."

Hunk scrunched his face at him and Shiro had to laugh. "Really? Everyone has a favorite food! What about a favorite color? A favorite animal?"

Shiro pulled his lips back a bit hopelessly at the question barrage. "I don't...really know. I haven't really thought about it."

"Did you even have a childhood?" Hunk complained.

Shiro smiled gently. Thinking about Earth still hurt a little, but he was doing all he could to protect it along with his team. He was learning to take the good with the bad. "I was an even tempered kid. Didn't get into much trouble."

"Of course you didn't," Hunk said thoughtfully. "Little angel Shiro. You must've been so cute."

"I looked like any other child my age," Shiro answered.

Hunk laughed. "Yeah, right. You probably had the worst puppy dog eyes. I bet even now you could give Lance a run for his money."

Shiro snorted. "Is that a compliment or an insult?"

"Well, it's a compliment if you use your powers for good!" His ladle waved a figure in the air. "Beset by kisses using the powers of your puppy dog eyes!"

Shiro raised an eyebrow. "That's what using your powers for good means? Now you really do sound like Lance."

"Hey, I don't mind giving kisses as long as you use your powers for good," Hunk reminded him happily.

"Does that mean I have to use puppy dog eyes from now on?" Shiro teased.

"Well, it wouldn't hurt."

Shiro shook his head, amused. "I'll leave that kind of thing to the rest of you."

"Not to say you don't have some good expressions too." Hunk tasted off the spoon with a faraway expression. "Like when we're training and your hair is sticking to your forehead and you've just beat down one of the robots, and when you turn around your face is all flushed and it reminds me of - "

"Hunk!" Shiro found, to his acute embarrassment, his cheeks turning pink.

Hunk shrugged. "What? Lance once defined you as a super mega hottie and I can't really disagree. You've got a really nice face, Shiro. And body. And, you know, you're also just nice in general."

Shiro groaned, dropping his head onto the table. "Why are we talking about this?"

"Why not?" Hunk's hand, fingers rough and warm, threaded through Shiro's hair. Shiro felt the muscles in his body relax minutely. "You're always quick to compliment us when we do well at something."

"That's for your abilities, not for something your born with," Shiro mumbled.

"Mmm hmm. So it's good to compliment you on your abilities then?"

Shiro lifted his head to glare at Hunk's shiningly innocent expression. "You are being incredibly childish."

Hunk ruffled his hair fondly. "Aw, are you pouting? That's cute too."

"I just can't believe I'm having this conversation with you of all people."

"Well, maybe Lance has rubbed off on me too much." Hunk moved back further into the kitchen. "But it's not like we can't give you compliments. We want you to know how much you do for us, and how much we appreciate it."

"It's...I know. You don't have to...I mean, you guys all work so hard."

"You do too," Hunk reprimanded gently.

"We all do. We share Voltron, just like we share the struggle that comes with it. I can only lead you because you let me and because you're all strong, individually."

Hunk hugged him from behind, Shiro stiffening - when had he snuck up behind him? - before sinking into the hold.

"You're strong too, Shiro," Hunk said quietly, and he doesn't have the energy to protest.

\--

Keith threw a towel to Shiro, who caught it out of the air and started wiping off sweat.

Their sparring session hadn't been noteworthy in any way, except for how distracted Keith seemed. He was usually able to bring an intense focus to their battles, but today his mind wasn't completely on the fight. It'd caused him to be a bit sloppy, and Shiro had called him out on it more than once.

"Is everything ok?" he asked, walking up beside Keith.

His eyes flicked up. Did he look guilty? "It's nothing," he answered too quickly.

Shiro frowned. "Are you sure? Do you...not feel comfortable talking about it with me?"

Keith looked stricken. "No! I mean I don't - it's just something I can't...share with you."

"Oh," Shiro breathed out before he could stop, feeling his shoulders drop. "I - I understand. But please, talk to someone about it. I wouldn't want you to - "

"I didn't mean - " Keith's words tumbled out over his, halting Shiro. "It's just that we were supposed to find out what you liked so we could - "

His abrupt halt left a silence in the room, where they stared at each other, eyes identically wide. Keith looked away first, groaning and slapping a hand to his face. "Lance is never gonna let me live this down."

Shiro, still processing, could only ask faintly, "So you could...what exactly?"

Keith crossed his arms across his chest. "Lance had this idea to decorate your room. Which, as his ideas go, isn't that bad, so we all agreed to try and figure out what you'd like."

A laugh bubbled out of Shiro's chest. "You couldn't just ask?"

Keith flushed. "It was supposed to be a surprise!"

Shiro tipped his head back and laughed as Keith watched with a slowly softening disgruntled expression. Without warning, Shiro roped Keith into his right arm, pulling them flush. This close, Keith's eyes were wide and dark and impossibly deep, peering up at Shiro with trust.

"I don't need anything like that," Shiro said and was a bit surprised to hear the truth in it. "If you guys want to give me presents, that's fine. But I don't need them. I have everything I've ever wanted already."

Keith's breath hitched and the blush returned. "You're spending too much time with Lance, if you can spout off lines like that."

"Nope, that's just the way I feel." Shiro leaned down into Keith's rise and they shared a slow kiss. Keith's arm tightened, driving their bodies together, and Shiro groaned.

"We have more training," he warned.

"You make the schedule," Keith shot back. It was technically true, although Shiro didn't want to make a habit of breaking his own rules.

"Training first," he said and Keith groaned.

\--

Pidge caught him on his way to the dining hall.

"So since Keith dropped our big secret, we decided on a different course of action," they said without preamble, grabbing Shiro's wrist.

"And what would that be?" he asked as he was dragged along.

"Well, obviously you have to come and see," they said impatiently.

Shiro chuckled. "Of course."

They flashed him a smile and dragged them down the hall into the usual meeting room.

It had been completely redecorated, each of the paladin's collections scattered over every available surface, cloths created a soft lit cave in the center. Shiro was dumbfounded at the entrance, looking around at the display with awe.

"This is..." he tried but couldn't think of anything to say.

Pidge grinned up at him. "You like it."

"Yeah." He smiled.

"Surprise!" Lance shouted, springing out of the cloth pile to the surprise of no one. Hunk and Keith tumbled out after him and Shiro moved forward to hug them all.

"Thanks guys. You didn't have to do this, but...thanks."

"Come inside! Hunk made - some sort of wine?" Lance scratched his head. "I dunno, but it's really sweet!"

They drew him in, pulling him into the fort, piling together, laughing and exchanging stories. Shiro sat with them, his heart full, thinking not of what he didn't have, but of the joy surrounding him instead, and how he would never take it for granted.

**Author's Note:**

> I had a more explicit part 2 planned, but had to delay it because I wanted to actually write something for every day of the polyship week. Stay tuned ;)
> 
> Please check out the [Voltron Polyshipping Week AO3 page](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/VoltronPolyshippingWeek2016) and the [Voltron Polyshipping Week tumblr](http://voltronpolyweek.tumblr.com)!


End file.
